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Friday, September 14, 2012

First, I would like to thank all the wonderful people thus far who have taken the time to do e-mail interviews in the past few weeks for "Whole Music" which includes, Alessandra Belloni, Doug Cox, Michael Pilu Pang, Charlie McMahon, Angel Romero (World Music Central), Jonathan Goldman and Pandit Roop Verma. Still waiting on responses from Kevin Yazzie for the indigenous music chapter and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt for the Subcontinent music chapter.I started chapter five and I'm now exploring Gregorian chant, the chants of Hildegard von Bingen, and renaissance polyphony. I will also include sacred polyphonic chants from Corsica in this chapter. With chapter six, I'll focus on music between interspecies.And I still need to find musicians to do full-length interviews (conversations) for several chapters. I'm waiting for permission to re-use interviews from WME from two musicians. I received permission from five other musicians to re-use interviews. Thank you. This book would be nothing without your music contributions and wisdom you give to the world.A Hay House Radio intuitive told me to write three pages a day, to avoid writing an academic book and write to a 14-year old level. While I'm writing three pages or more a day, I have no idea how to write to a 14 year old level since I don't know any 14 year olds and when I was 14, I would not have listened to Gregorian chants and world music. I guess, I had better just write what I know, how I know it, and those who resonate with the message of the book, will pick it up.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Watching music, healing modality, and cultural videos on YouTube is part of my research for my book Whole Music. I try to give you a wide variety of videos because I realize we come from different backgrounds and make up the rainbow of humanity. So for this week, we have Indians from India and the American Southwest, as well as, musicians from the African Diaspora, and Benedictine monks. How's that for variety?

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Wahid (Dimitris Mahlis, oud and Chris Wabich,
percussion), features a semi-contemporary approach to Middle Eastern oud and
Turkish maqam (classical scales and melodies) on the live recording Road Poem.When I first read about the musicians’ rock
and jazz backgrounds, I wasn’t sure what sound to expect.Too modern of a sound and I would have felt
turned off, but when this type of music is played with reverence combined with
a pioneering spirit, the result is often mesmerizing.The playing sounds mature as the musicians
wed “Byzantine modes and Turkish maqams” (press notes), on seven original
songs.The album release date is
September 25, followed by a tour TBA at www.rockpaperscissors.biz

(Note: This is an unsolicited CD and my policy is that I only review solicited CDs, due to time constraints. I thought Road Poem was worth a mention so it has a short review).

Since Charlie McMahon, mostly known as a didgeridoo
player from Australia, granted me a short interview for my upcoming book Whole Music, I’m reviewing his calm
recording, Didj Heart.What I didn’t know about McMahon when Arc
Music first referred me to him was that he also works as a music therapist,
especially playing didj music for people suffering from autism.In fact, Didj
Heart culminates McMahon’s role as a support worker for ASPECT, a
non-government agency that specializes in helping people with autism.McMahon and keyboardist, Pasko Schravemade,
also a NGO support worker, discovered how music helps autistic people with
communication.

While I wouldn’t lump Didj
Heart into new age music, it shares qualities in common.Besides offering music therapy for people
with autism, I recommend massage therapists picking up this CD for their
clients.The music itself sounds unusual
to my ears, moving at a slow to medium tempo, with the didgeridoo playing
ostinato and keyboards, strings and guitar riding over the top.Piano appears on a few of the tracks,
including Ninu 2 and all of the songs
appear carefully arranged. St. Patrick
Reflects features warm sounding guitar with intriguing rhythms played on the
didgeridoo, which so far provided both bass and percussion.However, the coolest song on the recording is
the wild and woolly Umpa da da
featuring jazzy piano, slide guitar, and rap-like didgeridoo with voice.Look for the CD with the cover of McMahon’s
children conversing with a kangeroo.

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About Me

I am a musician, instructor, novelist and veteran arts journalist with an interest in the healing powers of music. I am the author of Whole Music (Soul Food for the Mind Body Spirit). I launched The Whole Music Experience in 2007 to promote the healing potential of mainly traditional and classical music. I started teaching music awareness workshops in 2009.
I also post articles on World Music Central and contribute to print publications.
I believe that high vibrational music heals individuals and communities through cultural exchange, music preservation and music therapy. Music, similar to prayer and meditation moves us to a place deep within us, thus promoting peace, but it depends on the music too.
I've published articles in Global Rhythm, World Music Central, Early Music America, Skagit Valley Herald "A & E Monthly," and other fine music publications.

Endorsement for a Whole Music Experience workshop

I took the “Developing a Healthy Music Diet” class in winter quarter and had a great time with it. The musical examples Patricia provided in class were diverse and stimulating. The experiential part was easy to manage and I achieved a beneficial result for my health and well-being – releasing a stress pattern and obtaining restful sleep for the first time in many weeks!

I recommend this class to anyone who is interested in expanding and enriching their consciousness of how the music they listen to, or could be listening to, affects their quality of life, or to anyone who works in a healing profession and utilizes environmental music or sound as a complementary modality. I also highly recommend visiting Patricia’s expansive blog on healing music (The Whole Music Experience). ---Allan Tamm

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To St. Francesco & St. Chiara of Assisi

May we all lift our voices in songs of joy & treat all creatureswith love & respect.

Disclaimer:

This blog is meant to suggests ideas and projectsthat might be healing to a community or an individual.If readers have a specific health problem,the advice is to see a qualified health provider.What works for one person, might not for another.

This blog features an array of healing musicfrom community projects, cultural preservationto sound healing.